An old nemesis has returned to Scarpetta's life: Temple Gault. A serial murderer of monstrous inventiveness, he is now choosing victims that are closer and closer to her -- even leaving notes for her on the corpses. But as Scarpetta lays a trap for Temple, she discovers something about his crimes that is even more horrifying than his shocking cruelty.

An old nemesis has returned to Scarpetta's life: Temple Gault. A serial murderer of monstrous inventiveness, he is now choosing victims that are closer and closer to her -- even leaving notes for her on the corpses. But as Scarpetta lays a trap for Temple, she discovers something about his crimes that is even more horrifying than his shocking cruelty.